Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) Practice Exam

Which of the following is a characteristic of a Just Culture in healthcare?

1. Punishing individuals for mistakes.

2. Focusing solely on compliance with protocols.

3. Encouraging reporting of errors without fear of retribution.

4. Implementing zero-tolerance policies for mistakes.

The correct answer is: Encouraging reporting of errors without fear of retribution.

A characteristic of a Just Culture in healthcare is the encouragement of reporting errors without fear of retribution. This approach fosters an environment where healthcare professionals feel safe to disclose mistakes or near misses, leading to a more open culture regarding patient safety. By enabling individuals to report incidents honestly, a Just Culture supports learning and improvement rather than blame. In this environment, the focus shifts from punishing individuals for making mistakes to understanding the system and identifying areas for improvement. Reporting becomes a vital tool for analyzing errors, facilitating systemic changes, and ultimately enhancing patient safety. This collaborative atmosphere promotes shared responsibility in maintaining safety while acknowledging that mistakes can occur in complex healthcare settings. Through this characteristic, a Just Culture emphasizes the importance of learning from errors rather than fostering a culture of fear, which can hinder the sharing of critical information necessary for improving patient outcomes.